Please help me finish setting up mySQL database

JimJamJammin

I've scoured the internet for a good tutorial on starting up a mySQL database, but they all assume you already know certain stuff. Unfortunately, I don't have a clue what 'shell' is or a number of things it mentions, so I thought <suckup> I'd resort to you kind and generous souls just to spare one moment to instruct me. </suckup>.

I really badly need a mySQL database, because an educational website I'm currently developing (temporarily located at http://www.notoftheworld.net/jamie/tiffinmaths) is currently using rather insecure (and unreliable) text files with separators to separate the fields.

Here's what I've managed to do so far:

I've installed mySQL on my standard Windows XP computer from the official mySQL website. I've extracted and installed it.
Via MS-DOS, I've managed to actually create the database and table I want with the appropriate fields. The database is called 'userdatabase' and the table is called 'users'.
If I go into WinMySQLAdmin and click on the 'databases' tab, my database shows up there. However, it says it's stored on my computer, i.e. 'OEMCOMPUTER'.

Now here's where I've got stuck.
I somehow need to get this database from my computer to the online server.
I also do not know what my connection 'username' and 'password' is.
Unfortunately when I emailed my domain provided Freeola, they just replied saying they did not support MySQL.

PLEASE PLEASE can you help me with these last few steps. Once I successfully manage to connect to this database, I'll be fine from then on, since I know how to read and write data.

Also for once in my life I want to be treated like a idiot / newbie. Please assume that I know nothing technical.

Anyway, thanks for listening. I really would appreciate your help for this worthy (i.e. educational) cause. 🙂

Jamie Frost

crislewis

Firstly, you are unlikely to succeed if your hosting service does not support mysql. Ifthis is the case you need to know which db they do support and move your development across to it. The opther alternative is to move hosting service. Whichever you choose the hosting service will be able to tell you the user/password required to access your db server.

I am assuming you are using php. If this is the case then you need to get a hold of phpmyadmin which will allow you to manage mysql databases and is invaluable. It provided a web based front end to any mysql server and allows creation, deletion, modification of dbs, tables,records and a whole lot more. I really couldn't live without it.

It also has a superb db dump routine which allows you to dump sql code for the creation of a copy of the db (and data if you need it). You simply use this as input into the new server and presto! you have what you want.

Cheers,

Cris

JimJamJammin

Ouch, so mySQL doesn't look very promising on my current domain provider.

I've just discovered that there's a different between having a domain name and having web hosting. I looked at some web hosters who supported mySQL, but the annual £300 price tag is completely out of the question for a school!

It is possible to configure mySQL for my server?
If not, could you please suggest alternatives, either cheap or preferably free 😉 , and remember my school is unlikely to want to spend more than £40-ish on database software.

All user-friendly help appreciated.

nnichols

Does the school have a permanent net connection? If so, do you have a fixed IP address? If yes to both of these then you can host the db yourself.

Otherwise you could use a free provider -
http://www.freesql.org/ - these guys host MySQL dbs for free
http://www.hostforweb.com/hosting_budget.html - good budget hosting packages ($50 per year)

Hope this helps 😉

JimJamJammin

THANKYOU SO MUCH!

I've spent days and days trying to set up and database, and thanks to your help, I've finally set one up.

I went to freesql and set up a username and password there. Then it was just a case of creating the database and table using PHP.

Now I'm just left with the very very long task of converting the whole site to mySQL rather than using the text file.

Again, thankyou!